Fudgy chocolate banana bread. Who can argue with that? The crumb is light and tender but very chocolatey. It is sheathed with an irresistible chocolate gloss. Surprisingly, most of the ingredients come with benefits, which means you can have your cake and eat it too.
If you’re intimidated by baking, a loaf is a forgiving place to start. Here, the recipe is a straight-forward mix-in-a-bowl story. There’s no creaming and frosting involved, just easy and doable baking.
A good banana bread can last up to 5 days. Theoretically speaking, of course. Unfortunately, that’s never been the case in our house. The only reason there’s even a crumb left here for testing, is because I’m getting really good at hiding cake. This fudgy chocolate banana bread is now 3 days old and I have to say, it tastes fudgier, almost caramel-ish, if possible? To finish, I drizzle the loaf with a smoothcoconut cream ganache. From the drips, I’m sure you can tell there’s more than necessary, but it is rather glorious, so I’d do it anyway.
Fudgy chocolate banana bread
Makes1 loaf
- 80g (1/3 cup) wholemeal spelt flour or regular wholemeal flour
- 50g (1/2 cup) all-purpose cake flour
- a pinch of salt
- 25g (3 heaped tablespoons) cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 90g soft brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 60g medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
- 2 eggs
- 110ml coconut oil
- 2 large, very ripe bananas
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate ganache
- 100g Lindt 70% dark chocolate
- 1/3 cup coconut cream
- Preheat the oven to 180º C. Grease and line a 20cm loaf tin with baking paper. Sift the flours, salt, cocoa and raising agents into a large mixing bowl. Place the brown sugar, honey, dates, eggs, coconut oil, bananas and vanilla in a blender or liquidizer. Blitz until smooth and well combined with the consistency of a thick milk shake. Pour the wet ingredients into the sifted flour and fold through until incorporated. Pour the batter into the loaf tin and bake for around 35-40 minutes until cooked through.
- Rest in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out to cool completely.
- For the ganache, place the chocolate and coconut milk in a small heat resistant bowl and microwave for 40 seconds. Whisk until smooth and glossy. Be careful not to overheat. The residual heat of the bowl will be enough to melt the chocolate. Set the ganache aside to cool and thicken. Pour the ganache over the banana loaf and allow to set until until firm.
For more ideas of what to do with a couple of sad looking bananas:
Blender Coconut banana bread
Sugar-crusted Brown Butter Banana Bread
Banana muffin cupcakes
20 Comments. Leave new
Caroline Heap
1 October 2015 8:47 am
Di, this looks amazing- am already a big banana bread fan am keen to give this version a try. Will report back…..
Ilze
1 October 2015 3:06 pm
I’m sure rugby and banana loaf will work on Saturday!
Dianne Bibby
1 October 2015 9:33 pm
Biltong for the boys and banana bread for the gals!
Dianne Bibby
1 October 2015 9:36 pm
Hi Caroline. I can’t decide between the brown butter banana loaf or the chocolate. I think I’m just going to make both again! Happy weekend.
3 October 2015 4:24 am
Now that looks like my kind of banana bread! Very fudgy indeed 🙂 Love the chocolate ganache, looks divine!
Ilze
5 October 2015 9:10 am
Made banana bread with this wonderful ganache. The ganache didn’t taste coconutty at all, just. Gorgoeous oozy deliciousness that was lapped up by boys and girls alike!
Ilze
5 October 2015 9:10 am
Made banana bread with this wonderful ganache. The ganache didn’t taste coconutty at all, just. Gorgoeous oozy deliciousness that was lapped up by boys and girls alike!
Nadia
5 October 2015 8:56 pm
Hello there! Is it possible to replace wholemeat flour by regular flour? If so, would it be same amount ( 80gr)?
Thank you DiDianne Bibby
6 October 2015 5:17 am
Hi Nadia. You can definitely replace it with regular flour. The texture of the bread will be softer and more tender, but equally delicious. Happy baking.
Dianne Bibby
6 October 2015 5:19 am
This ganache! Like eating a banana bread truffle. Somehow one loaf isn’t quite enough anymore?
Dianne Bibby
6 October 2015 5:26 am
Never realised banana bread could be so decadent, with a couple of healthy swaps included. Thanks June!
Nadia
7 October 2015 1:39 pm
1000 merci for your answer 🙂
Stacey Perry
11 November 2015 9:06 pm
Nutritional facts on your recipes would be great!
Dianne Bibby
12 November 2015 7:37 pm
Hi Stacey. Thanks for stopping by. I’ll definitely look into this option.
Thandi
24 November 2015 5:06 am
Hi Di, what wholewheat flour do you use? Thanks
Thandi
24 November 2015 9:27 pm
Hi Di, me again, sorry. Where
Does one find medjool dates?
ThanksDianne Bibby
25 November 2015 7:07 pm
Hello Thandi. I usually buy the Medjool dates from Woolworths. Pick n Pay also stocks them as does any good fresh produce market.
Dianne Bibby
25 November 2015 7:09 pm
Finely ground wholewheat/wholemeal flour is best.
Thandi
7 December 2015 8:08 am
Hi Di
Is the odourless coconut oil fine for this cake?
Thanks
Dianne Bibby
7 December 2015 12:13 pm
That’ll work perfectly well Thandi.
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